@Festive_Fenrir
(necromancy is real! Woo)
Abrose answered as many of his brother's questions as he was able to as they readied to meet their parents. Thankfully, Chire kept the questions about what they did after training to a minimum, though he wasn't above muttering a few mild threats when he had Abrose change into a nicer shirt, getting a peek at the slightly bruising skin he had kept well hidden up until now.
"Chire I'm fine, I want this. I want him." He reassured, offering a gentle smile to his brother as he tugged him into a hug.
Chire melted into the hug, taking the rest of Abrose's strength to keep them both upright, but Abrose didn't mind.
"I know. And you both deserve each other after so long of skirting around each other for years. But I'm your older brother. How am I not supposed to worry about you? I nearly had a heart attack when you told me about the apartment, and then about sneaking out. Now galavanting around the city with a royal guard? Will my heart get no rest from your antic?" He teased, earning him a sharp jab to the side from Abrose, only causing him to laugh aloud.
"I'm not galavanting around with anyone. I want to be with Lucian. I want to explore my kingdom and I would want no one else by my side other than him. Not as my guard, but as something more meaningful." Abrose leaned back to look at his brother, wanting to see that he understood. Chire sobered and touched their brows together. "I know, my Rose. We've known for so long your heart belongs to him and his to yours even longer. If only the war didn't happen all those years ago. If only our parents understood." He muttered softly, and Abrose could see the weight on Chire's shoulders settle and age him. He was only the crown prince but he had already taken on so much of his kingdom's responsibilities. "It's alright, Chire. We'll be alright." He reassured, gently touching Chire's cheek to draw his attention back. "No matter what happens, we'll all be alright."
Chire searched Abrose's features, somehow sensing something more behind those words, and for a moment, fear flashed in his eyes but he blinked and was smiling the next second. "I hope you're right." He replied softly, kissing Abrose's forehead before taking a step back, fixing Abrose's clothes one last time, and offering his arm to him. "Lily should be waiting for us by now, you know how much of a stickler she is for being on time." He winked and Abrose gave an undignified snort, considering the last time his sister had made him fashionably late to his proposal. "We need to get together again. Just the three of us. I want to tell you both everything." He suggested, striding beside his crown prince brother out of his room and down the hall to find their sister, the dread of meeting their parents only now starting to seed in his stomach. He hadn't spoken to them at length since the proposal.